The Gordon Conference on Red Cells has historically provided an outstanding informal forum for the discussion of basic research advances in the field of red blood cells. The conference this year should prove to be exceptionally timely, given the major advances in our understanding of transcriptional regulation and properties of the pluripotent hematopoietic stem cell which have emerged during the recent past. Individual sessions will be devoted to: 1) advances in membrane biology derived from red cell studies; 2) cis-regulation of globin gene synthesis; 3) erythroid transcription factors; 4) the molecular basis of membrane transport; 5) cis- and trans-regulation of non-globin erythroid genes; 6) embryogenesis; 7) the contribution of red cell structural proteins to membrane integrity; and 8) hematopoiesis and erythropoiesis. In addition, the conference has always held an (extremely well received) open session of presentations of approximately 15 min. duration on Thursday evening, in which a summary of the best posters from eight to ten unsponsored conferees are presented. While these topics appear to be representative of separate disciplines within the field of studies on the red cell, we invariably find common ground for discussions within this diverse group, and investigators have historically greatly benefitted from attending this broad, but nonetheless coherent, meeting.